Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Introduction to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

We all have to-do lists. Things we need to fix. Things we need to get done. In the same way, our bodies also have a to-do list. The body is constantly making new cells, repairing damage caused by germs and toxins, balancing hormone and chemical levels, and generally doing everything it can to keep you happy and healthy

But when our bodies don’t have the resources they need to complete all of these tasks, and when toxins or injuries or pathogens cause our to-do list to get longer and longer, disease and disability will begin to occur. And we can quickly go from happy and healthy to unhappy and unhealthy. In order to give the body more resources to heal and recover, there are many good nutrients that we can make sure we are getting by changing our diet and supplementing if necessary.

However, do you know which nutrient is most important of all? The answer is O2, or oxygen.

More than any food… more than even water itself… oxygen is the one nutrient that your body needs more than all others. Usually we don’t think of oxygen as a nutrient, but in reality, it is the most fundamental nutrient that we need for healing and for life itself.

So, how does hyperbaric oxygen help the body heal itself? The short answer is that hyperbaric oxygen gives the body more resources to do all the things on its to-do list. Hyperbaric Oxygen has been shown to:

Destroy harmful bacteria

Decrease inflammation

Produce new collagen

Increase white blood cells

Regenerate bone

Stimulate capillary growth

Strengthen the immune system

Help mitochondrial function

And perhaps most amazing of all, it even creates new stem cells in the body. After 40 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen, stem cell production increases all the way to 800%. Your body turns these stem cells into whatever cells that it needs, facilitating healing rapidly and naturally.

For more information about hyperbaric oxygen, or to schedule a consultation at the Oxford Recovery Center, please call 248-486-3636 or visit our website at www.OxfordRecoveryCenter.com.

We all have to-do lists. Things we need to fix. Things we need to get done. In the same way, our bodies also have a to-do list. The body is constantly making new cells, repairing damage caused by germs and toxins, balancing hormone and chemical levels, and generally doing everything it can to keep you happy and healthy

But when our bodies don’t have the resources they need to complete all of these tasks, and when toxins or injuries or pathogens cause our to-do list to get longer and longer, disease and disability will begin to occur. And we can quickly go from happy and healthy to unhappy and unhealthy. In order to give the body more resources to heal and recover, there are many good nutrients that we can make sure we are getting by changing our diet and supplementing if necessary.

However, do you know which nutrient is most important of all? The answer is O2, or oxygen.

More than any food… more than even water itself… oxygen is the one nutrient that your body needs more than all others. Usually we don’t think of oxygen as a nutrient, but in reality, it is the most fundamental nutrient that we need for healing and for life itself.

So, how does hyperbaric oxygen help the body heal itself? The short answer is that hyperbaric oxygen gives the body more resources to do all the things on its to-do list. Hyperbaric Oxygen has been shown to:

Destroy harmful bacteria

Decrease inflammation

Produce new collagen

Increase white blood cells

Regenerate bone

Stimulate capillary growth

Strengthen the immune system

Help mitochondrial function

And perhaps most amazing of all, it even creates new stem cells in the body. After 40 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen, stem cell production increases all the way to 800%. Your body turns these stem cells into whatever cells that it needs, facilitating healing rapidly and naturally.

For more information about hyperbaric oxygen, or to schedule a consultation at the Oxford Recovery Center, please call 248-486-3636 or visit our website at www.OxfordRecoveryCenter.com.

What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, HBOT, is a specialized form of medical treatment administered by delivering 100% pure oxygen to the body through increased atmospheric pressure greater than 1.3 ATA. in an enclosed hard chamber.

At pressures greater than normal, the body can incorporate more oxygen into blood cells, blood plasma, cerebral-spinal fluid and other bodily fluids. The increased oxygen absorption experienced during hyperbaric oxygen therapy significantly enhances the body’s ability to aid in its healing.

As with all of our therapies, Oxford only utilizes the highest quality hard sided hyperbaric chambers in the industry. Our chambers have a clear exterior providing the highest level of comfort. To learn more about our equipment please Read More »

Not all Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Equipment is created equally. To find out the difference between our hard-sided chambers and the soft-sided chambers please Read More »

How it Works

Hyperbaric Oxygenation

Hyperbaric Oxygenation Breathing 100% oxygen under pressure causes the oxygen to saturate the blood, diffusing into the blood plasma completely. This oxygen-rich plasma can travel past the restriction, diffusing up to 4 times further into the tissue. The pressurized environment helps to reduce swelling and discomfort while providing the body with at least ten times its normal supply of oxygen to help repair tissue damaged by the original occlusion or subsequent hypoxic condition.

Blood Vessel Regeneration

Blood Vessel Regeneration Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) forces more oxygen into the tissue, encouraging the formation of new blood vessels. As these new blood vessels develop, the red blood cells start to flow, delivering even more oxygen to the affected area. This creates the optimal environment for the body’s natural healing processes to repair damaged tissue.

Normal Blood Flow

Normal Blood Flow There is 21% oxygen in the air that we breathe, and our lungs transfer this oxygen to our red blood cells (via haemoglobin). These oxygen-filled red blood cells are carried around the body by the plasma (fluid), which travels through the blood vessels. The oxygen diffuses into the surrounding tissue ensuring that it is delivered to where it is needed most.

Restricted Blood Flow

Restricted Blood Flow When there is a restriction (occlusion) in blood flow due to surgery, illness, or injury, the red blood cells block the blood vessel and are unable to transfer oxygen to the cells on the other side of the occlusion. This causes swelling and starves the area of oxygen, causing hypoxia (a lack of oxygen), when this occurs the tissue begins to break down.

At pressures greater than normal, the body can incorporate more oxygen into blood cells, blood plasma, cerebral-spinal fluid and other bodily fluids. The increased oxygen absorption experienced during hyperbaric oxygen therapy significantly enhances the body’s ability to aid in its healing.

Once a person is in the increased atmospheric pressure, the body responds by reducing inflammation. With the inflammation reduced, blood flow to cells increases, enhancing the delivery of oxygen to oxygen-deprived areas.

At this point, the body’s healing process accelerates.
The body’s natural healing mechanisms can now function efficiently because the damaged tissues are receiving more oxygen. Even when the blood supply has been compromised, tissues can still receive the healing benefits of oxygen from other body fluids and plasma in the surrounding area.

Treatment Indications

Oxford Recovery Center treats a wide variety of conditions using the Oxford Recovery Model, our integrative therapy approach. Please select a therapy and condition to explore our research library and to learn more about the Oxford Recovery Center's individualized therapy approach.

21 Reasons Why

1. HBOT significantly reduces swelling

Local vasodilation (when blood vessels in the body become wider) following damage to tissue increases blood flow and together with an increase in vascular permeability (the movement of fluids and molecules in and out of blood vessels), increases extravascular (outside blood vessels) proteins, fluid and produces swelling. This swelling contributes to the pain felt. As the oxygen supply reduces, blood flow increases which will only serve to exacerbate the swelling following injury and impede the inflammatory process that assists the commencement of healing. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy reduces vascular vasodilation and permeability by increasing the oxygen content within the blood.

2. HBOT significantly reduces edema

The development of edema (accumulation of excess lymph fluid) and swelling occurs by many factors such as an increase in local blood flow and also damage to local blood and lymphatic vessels. The pressure exerted by swelling and edema on surrounding structures can compromise circulation. If the pressure in the surrounding tissue approaches or exceded the pressure of the blood vessels, blood flow will slow or cease. Edema and swelling also contribute to tissue hypoxia by increasing the distance between the capillary and the cells, which impedes cell function, metabolism, and the inflammatory process by increasing the diffusion (movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration) distance. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can combat the increased distance for oxygen diffusion from a blood vessel to cells by increasing the oxygen content within the blood. This benefit will result in an increased oxygen delivery to cells and tissues forced further away from the blood vessels due to swelling and edema, shortening the inflammatory process, thereby speeding the healing and repair of tissues.

3. HBOT significantly shortens the inflammatory process

The body’s initial response to any injury involves inflammation and attempts to repair the damage. Inflammation is the process by which cells such as phagocytes (white blood cells) gain access to the damaged/injured tissues and cells to prevent infection and enable healing to commence. Decreased oxygen supply impacts significantly upon the inflammatory process as the cells involved in inflammation are oxygen dependent. Should oxygen supply be diminished, the inflammation process and healing will become severely impaired. Increased oxygen availability promotes vasoconstriction (when blood vessels in the body become thinner), and this causes tissue fluid reabsorption and helps reduce edema and swelling while keeping the tissue well oxygenated due to the high oxygen content within the blood. Hence supporting the cells of the inflammatory process to remove cell debris and micro-organisms impeding infection.

4. HBOT improves range of motion

Following hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the inflammatory process is accelerated significantly improving the range of motion. Swelling and edema decrease and resolved more rapidly as well. As a result, the pain will be less allowing for the return of range of motion as the healing process gains momentum.

5. HBOT increases the production of collagen

Following the initial healing process of the inflammatory response and the prevention or removal of infection, comes the next chapter in tissue/wound healing. Collagen is the connective tissue developed and laid down by fibroblasts, the repair cells of the body. Collagen acts as a base layer in the healing wound and assists the wound to close and repair. The formation of collagen and hence wound healing/recovery is highly dependent on the presence of adequate amounts of oxygen. The actual production of collagen by fibroblasts is also extremely dependent on oxygen availability. As hyperbaric oxygen therapy markedly increases the oxygen available within the blood this, in turn, enables fibroblasts to produce increased amounts of collagen required for healing of wounds and tissue damage.

Clinical research has demonstrated that a number of days following injury there occurs a migration of fibroblasts (connective tissue cells responsible for collagen production) into the area of damage. These cells then divide and replicate producing large amounts of collagen (connective tissue used to repair damage to tissue) that acts as the building block for the healing of tissue and wounds. The influx of oxygen from hyperbaric oxygen therapy assists the development and migration of fibroblasts. This development then supports the development and action of these particular cells which play a vital part in the healing/recovery process.

7. HBOT supports scar tissue rehabilitation

A decrease in oxygen available to cells such as fibroblasts impairs their action, impacting upon the healing of tissue, causing healing to take longer, and inhibiting the quality of scar tissue developed or rehabilitated, which in turn greatly decreases tissue strength. Healing occurs both faster and stronger in wounds/injuries treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy due to the demands of oxygen availability by the cells and tissues responsible for the healing process.

8. HBOT promotes greater tissue strength

As the oxygen concentration of the blood increases during hyperbaric oxygen therapy, cells further from blood vessels are more adequately oxygenated. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy allows for increased oxygen availability in more extensive areas enabling fibroblasts to carry out their part of the healing process for tissue damage and injury, more rapidly covering larger areas. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy saturates the blood plasma with oxygen, this, in turn, reaches the areas of damage/injury with greater efficiency than red blood cells, providing all cells and tissues with the much-needed agent for healing, oxygen. The cells responsible for the development of scar tissue for healing are then able to carry this process out more rapidly resulting in greater tissue integrity.

9. HBOT enhances the growth of new blood vessels (Angiogenesis)

Injury or damage to tissues also results in damage and destruction of the supporting blood vessel structures. The healing process is reliant on these structures for the supply of the blood containing the cells and nutrients that carry out and enable healing as well as the removal of damaged cells, debris, and foreign micro-organisms. Research has demonstrated that treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy significantly increases the number and actual size of blood vessels in damaged tissues and wounds. This increase allows the healing process to occur faster speeding the recovery of the injury or wound.

10. HBOT increases oxygen levels in tissues (Hyperoxia)

Increased oxygen availability in the cell results from both the blood that has a complete saturation of the plasma and an increase in capillary growth combined with the repair of damaged blood vessels.

11. HBOT increases oxygen perfusion area around wounds

Oxygen perfusion around wounds and damaged tissues substantially increases when the blood supply to these regions possesses greater than normal levels of oxygen in blood plasma as well as carried on red blood cells. The oxygen contained in the blood plasma is more easily accessible than that carried to the tissues and cells of the wound/damaged area on red blood cells, and this method of oxygen supply is less labor-intensive and energy taxing. The cells involved in the healing process are highly dependent on oxygen to carry out their healing function, and this increased demand for oxygen in the area around wounds by the increased number of healing cells in that location is met by the increased oxygen saturation of the blood following hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

12. HBOT stimulates new capillary growth

During the time of injury and damage, the microcirculation and the blood vessels of this circulation (capillaries) are vital to the healing process through the supply of nutrients and oxygen and the removal of waste and debris to enable the cells responsible for healing to complete their function. The growth of new, and repair of damaged capillaries are stimulated within the damaged tissues by hyperbaric oxygen therapy, providing increased oxygen availability to these areas. The increased oxygen supply and increased pressure employed by hyperbaric oxygen supply are both responsible for the stimulation of new capillary growth and the repair of existing capillaries.

13. HBOT improves the survival of tissues in the ‘grey area’ of crush injuries

The ‘grey area’ of crush injuries is the area between the tissues that are obviously irreversibly damaged and those tissues that are undamaged. The tissues of the ‘grey area’ benefit greatly from increased oxygen supply, improved circulation, and blood supply. These are the aspects that will allow the tissues of the ‘grey area’ to be saved, salvaged and repaired. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown to support and maintain tissue oxygenation within the ‘grey area’ resulting in a better outcome for the tissues, wound or injury.

14. HBOT increases production and improves the action of Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts

Osteoblasts are the cells responsible for bone formation, and osteoclasts are the cells responsible for bone reabsorption. Both these cells work together to form bones and control the amount of bone tissue. The provision of increased levels of oxygen allows for increased production of these cells and enables them to conduct bone repair and formation more adequately through the reduction of edema and growth of new blood vessels in the micro-circulation.

15. HBOT improves bone regeneration for faster recovery

When the inflammatory process, swelling, and edema is rectified more rapidly the repair and regeneration of bone can commence sooner. With the increase in blood supply and oxygen availability, the tissues and cells responsible for bone regeneration can carry out their task of healing more efficiently, resulting in accelerated recovery and a better result in the healing tissues.

16. HBOT helps prevent infection

Research has demonstrated that having lower oxygen levels in tissues and wounds increases the possibility of infection. Changes in wound and tissue oxygenation impact greatly upon the wound immune mechanism. Having an improved or increased tissue oxygen supply reduces the incidence of wound infection as the cells responsible for prevention and recovery from infection are dependent on oxygen, therefore additional oxygen benefits the healing process.

17. HBOT increases white blood cell production

The major players in the bodies immune response are the white blood cells. Providing the body with increased oxygen availability increases the production of white blood cells providing benefit to the bodies immune response. High-dose oxygen delivered under pressures greater than sea level (hyperbaric oxygen therapy), stimulates and enables the bodies immune response.

Without oxygen or in a hypoxic (shortage of oxygen in the body) environment the function of white blood cells becomes diminished. This deprivation, in turn, provides a significant threat of infection as the bodies immune response is impaired. The increased oxygen supply offered by hyperbaric oxygen therapy assists in bacterial killing through improving leukocyte (a type of white blood cell) function.

19. HBOT potentiates the use of antibiotics

Research has demonstrated that periods of hyperoxia (increased oxygen levels in tissues) and hyperbaric oxygen therapy has influenced the activity of some antibiotics, enhancing their effectiveness. This increase enables the presenting infection to resolve quicker.

20. HBOT destroys harmful bacteria (Antimicrobial effect)

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy provides direct bactericidal ( a substance that kills bacteria) and bacteriostatic (hampers the growth of bacteria) effects against bacteria due to the generation of oxygen free radicals. These free radicals are able to damage the membranes and makeup of the bacteria rendering them ineffective or killing them. Anaerobic (without oxygen) organisms find an increased oxygen environment toxic and are unable to survive.

21. HBOT reduces surgery complications for smoker

Research has proven that the use of tobacco and smoking causes arterial vasoconstriction (narrowing of the arteries). This leads to numerous health issues as blood flow becomes impaired, affecting the cells and tissues of the body. When the bodies blood flow is impaired as a result of conditions such as arterial vasoconstriction, oxygenation of the cells and tissues is greatly impaired as the oxygen-carrying components of the blood (red blood cells) are unable to fulfill the oxygen requirements for cells and tissues. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the oxygen levels in the blood plasma, and this element is able to travel to the cells and tissues with greater ease and success providing the much-needed oxygen. Smokers’ recovery and complications from surgery can be greatly diminished by the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy as the cells and tissues continue to have their oxygen requirements met and often exceeded. This enables the healing process to be improved and accelerated.

Possible Side Effects

Temporary nearsightedness (myopia) caused by temporary eye lens changes (usually only lasts a few weeks on the rare occasions it occurs.

Middle ear injuries, including leaking fluid and eardrum rupture, due to increased air pressure

Lung collapse caused by air pressure changes (barotrauma) usually due to too rapid of pressure changes or pre-existing conditions

Seizures as a result of too much oxygen (oxygen toxicity) in your central nervous system as a result of improper dosing

In certain circumstances, fire — due to the oxygen-rich environment of the treatment chamber (we follow proper safety measures to ensure that this does not occur, this is very rare and has always been the case of poor safety techniques)